Pneumatic-tube system.



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No. 862,601. PATBNTBD AUG. 6, 1907.

' B. G. rBATGHELLBRl PNBUMATIG TUBE SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED KAB.. 21, 1905.

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B. C. BATGHELLER.

PNEUMATIG TUBE SYSTEM. APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 21. 1905.

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.4 Arron/En 1n: Nolens vens co4, wAsnmaYoN, nA c BIRNEY C. BATCHELLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO'THE PEARSALL PNEUMATIC TUBE AND POWER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

PNEUMATIC-TUBE i SYSTEM.

YORK.

To all 'whomy it may concern:

Be it known that l, BmNnY C. BA'rcHntLnn, a citizen ol the United States of America, residing in the city and county oi Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic-Tube Systems, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part thereof.

My invention relates to pneumatic tube systems of the kind known as vacuum systems, the object of my invention being to provide improved appliances for connecting and disconnecting the transit tube with the vacuum lpipe or reservoir and my invention further being in the nature of an improvement or modification of the general system which forms the subject matter of my pending application for Letters Patent filed 11th March, 1905, Serial Number 249,569.

My present invention, broadly speaking, consists of electromagnetic mechanism arranged to actuate, or rather, control a valve for opening and closing the vacuum connection.

The nature of 'my present invention will be best understood as described in connection with the drawings in which it is illustrated with its various parts and features, and in which Figure 1, is a diagrammatic elevation of a system provided with my improvements in what l consider to be their best practicable form. Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are respectively rear, front and side elevations of one of the intermediate stations on the tube, the circuit opening and closing mechanism and time escapement device being shown in Fig. 2, in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4 and in Fig. 4in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, is a plan view of my preferred lorm of mechanism for opening and closing the vacuum or air valve. Fig. G, is a side elevation on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7, is a plan view of a Amodified mechanism ior opening and closing the air valve, and Fig. 8, a side elevation on the section line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

A, Fig.1, indicates the terminal station of the tygbe system, A' and A2, intermediate stations on the tube, the tube system being made up oi sections B, leading from station A, to station A'; B', leading irom station A', to station A2, and B2, leading from station A2, to station A.

B5, is in effect a continuation of the pipe B2, at the home station. i

B4, is a vacuum tube connecting through a regulating gate B6 with a section B5, leading to a vacuum reservoir F.

C, is the open end of the tube B, at station A, D, Dit

indicating the station construction at stations A', and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 21,1905. Serial No. 251,208.

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW- Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

N, D', D', indicating :the gates by which carriers are delivered at said stations, the purpose o the intermediate stations being in substance similar to that described in the patent to Kenneth E. Stuart on the 18th November, 1902, No. 713,924.

D3, D3, indicate the gates by which the intermediate stations are opened for the insertion of carriers.

E, is a guideway freely open to the atmosphere and connecting the tubes B2, and B5.

E', is a iiat Valve closing the end of the tube B2, E2, indicating openings through the end of the pipe B2; into the casing E4, and E3, the receiving box at the end of the tube B3. The casing E4, receives the upper end' of the vacuum tube B4, and is formed with a diaphragm chamber E5, at its top into which leads the port E5.

ET, Fig. 6, is a casing or cap forming a diaphragm chamber E8, situated above the diaphragm chamber E5, and having a port E9, leading into it.

K, is the vacuun or air valve normally closing the vacuum pipe B4, and` connected by a spindle K', to/a diaphragm K2, situated between the diaphragm chambers E5, and E8.

The vacuum-pipe, either directly or through the reservoir F, is connected with a pipe F', which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, connects through a chamber F3, of a casing F4, with the pipe F2, leading to the port E, of the diaphragm chamber E5, said pipe F', also-connecting in the construction of Fig. 6 through a branch/ pipe F9, with the port E9, 'of the chamber E8. lThe chamber F3, has also a port F5,fleading to the atmosphere which port, in the construction illustrated, is normally closed by a valve F5, a spindle F7, of which extends through the port F5, and through a perforation and a guide cap at the top of the casing F4. In the construction of Fig. 6, a valve F5, is provided to close the port leading to the vacuum pipe F', when the valve F5, opens the port F5.

G, is an electromagnet secured in the casing F4, G' Grj indicating the circuit wires leading therefrom which wires, as shown in Fig. l, lead through the system of stations on the tube and should be provided with'a circuit opening and closing device at each station and for best results with a time escapement also situated at each station for regulating the time during which the circuit shall remain open.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have indicated a modiication et the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which, in place of the diaphragm chamber E8, a spring K3, is connected with the diaphragm K2, to draw it upward, said spring being secured to an adjusting screw K4, supported on arms K5. In this modified construction, the vacuum pipe F', is in constant communication with the port E, ofthe vacuum chamber Ff, through a regulating valve F1", and pipe section F, said pipe section F, connecting through a branch F, with the chamber F3, ol the casing l", in which casing, as bet'ore, a valve F, .is provided for opening and closing the port F5, but no valve F", is provided lor opening and closing the port in the chamber F, leading to the vacuum pipe, the valve FG, being prevented from moving down far enough to close or impede the vacuum port by stop nuts, as indicated a t- Fm.

II, see Figs. 3 and 4, indicates a pivot: to which is secured the gate D. having a projecting arm or [i nger H3.

Il, is a lever preferably crook'ed as shown and pivoted on the pivot pin ll, said lever being connected at its angle H2, to a chain or cord I, passing over a. guide pulley I, and connected to a metal disk or plate 12,

which normally serves to electrically connect the,

. of the cylinder, through a port J 2, and also throu'gh a port J4, and lateral port J The port J`', is closedby means of a spring valve J, and the port J4, is of regulable area by means of an adjusting spindle indicated at J G.

K, indicates a spring in the cylinder J, acting to push the piston I, and circuit closing plate I`, downward.

H5, Fig. 1, indicates a lever used at the terminal station for actuating the plate I, and its connected parts. I'

Referring tirst to the construction shown in Figs. 1 t0 6, and assuming that the circuit G, G, is normally closed and the magnet G, energized, the said magnet will draw and hold the valve F'", upward and in position to close the port Ff', thereby cutting off atmospheric4 connection with the diaphragm chamber E, and leaving said chamber in tree communication with the vacuum pipel Ff, as is also the ease with regard to the diaphragm chamber l". Under these circumstances the valve K, will be closed and held securely to its seat by the vacuum in the pipe l?. Assuming now that a carrier is inserted in the open end C ol' the tube B, the operator b v shitting the lever Il, at the terminal station draws up the circuit closing plate l2 ,at that station, opening the circuit and at the same time drawing the piston I", into thc cylinder J, the fluid willi which that cylinder is lilled passing freely through the port J`, and J, to the bottom ot' the cylinder. rl`he breaking ofthe circuit denergizes the magnet G, whereupon the valve F, will open, and the valve F, at the same time close the port connecting the chamber F, with the vacuum pipe F. this permits air at atmospheric pressure to pass in through the port Ff. the chamber F, pipe F2, and port C, to the diaphragm chamber Ff, and as the diaphragm chamber li", remains in communication with the vacuum pipe. the atmospheric pressure acting on the diaphragm moves it and the connected valve K, permitting the air to pass into the casing Ff, and openings E2, to pipe 2, exhausting the air from the pipe B2, and through the connected pipes so that the inrushing air at; the open end (l, ofthe pipe B, will transport the carrier cylinder through the tubes to, whatever station maybe desired. As soon as the operator releases the lever` H, the spring K, acting on thepiston 1*,causes it to move downward, but with only regulated speed as the fluid in the bottom ol the cylinder cannot escape backward through the valve J, but must pass the regula-ted opening between the spindle J, and port J4, the device serving as a time escapement which prevents the return of the circuit closing plate l2, to contact with the spring terminals G2. G2, for such time as lnay be determined upon which of course will be sufficient to insure the carrier passing through such portion of the tube system as, may be diesired. As soon, however, as the circuit is again closed the magnet G, 'is energized, 'the vacuum port of chamber F3, opened and its atmospheric port closed, whereupon the air is immediatelyexhausted from the diaphragm chamber E5, so that the valve K, returns to its normally seated position on the pipe B4, cutting off the connect-ion of said pipe with the tube system. The action at the intermediate stations is practically the same, the operator desiring to insert a carrier through one of the gates D3, having hold ol' the lever H, and through said lever and its connections moving the plate 12, and the pistn 1*, connected with it so as to pen the circuit; It is only when the lever H, comes in contact with the finger H3, that the gate is actually opened and the shape of the lever and its mode of connection with the chain I, is such as to insure that the circuit shall bie fully opened and the piston I4, moved upward to the proper degree before the gate is opened for the insertion of the carrier.

It is an important feature of my invention that each station should be provided with the circuit opening and closing mechanism and connected time escapement devices, as by means of this construction and arrangement I insure that the circuit shall remain open for a definite time after the insertion of any carrier.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, it will be noted that the diaphragm is moved upward not by vacuum, as in the first.; described construction, but by the, action of the spring K3. This, generally speaking, is equivalent to the action of the vacuum in the upper chamber E, though I prefer the use of the said chamber Es for the reason that the vacuum therein and the consequent force tending to litt the diaphragm and valve K, varies with the vacuum so that even if for some temporary reason the vacuum falls olf the valve K,

will remain closed except when it is desired to open it which might'not be the case if the power tending to open had remained constant. It Will also be noticed that in the construction of Figs. 7 and 8, there is a constant though regulated"communication between the diaphragm chamber E, and the vacuum pipe F. This It. will bc understood that in referring to the use of a diaphragm and diaphragm chamber. I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the' use of these specific devices to the exclusion of their well known equivalents, such as a piston and cylinder.

Having now described my invention, what I claim aS new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a pneumatic tube system, the combination of a pneumatic tube, two or more stations thereon, a vacuum pipe connected to said tube, an air valve controlling said connection and normally closed. an electrically controlled mechanism for opening said valve. a circuit wire for said mechanism, means sct at cach station for opening and closing said crank and energizing or denergizing the valve. actuating magnet, and a time escapcment acting to restore the circuit to normal condition with regulated speed.

2.. In a pneumatic tube system. the combination of a pneumatic tube, two or more stations thereon, a vacuum pipe connected to said tube, an air valve controlling said connection and normally closed, an electrically controlled mechanism for opening said valve, a circuit wire for said mechanism. means set at each station for opening and closing.: said circuit and energizing or dencrgizing the valve actuating magnet, and a time escapemcnt at each tending to open the valve,n means, 'including a diaphragm chamber having connection with the vacuum pipe and with the atmosphere tending to operate the valve in opposite directions when said xchamber: -is in communication with the vacuum or with the atmosphere, a valve for opening and closing the atmospheric connection of the chamber, an electromagnet for actuating said valve, means for openingr and closing the circuit of said electromagnet situated at one or more stations n the tube, and time escapement devices for regulating the time of the return motion of the circuit closers.

4. In a pneumatic tube system, the combination of a pneumatic tube, a vacuum pipe, a valve normally closing a connection between the tube and vacuum pipe, means tendingr to open the valve, means, including the diaphragm chamber having connection with the vacuum pipe and with the atmosphere tending to operate the valve in opposite directions when said chamber isin connection with the vacuum or with the atmosphere, a valve for opening and closing the atmospheric connection of the chamber, an electromagnet for actuating said valve, a circuit extending from said magnet through two or more stations on the tube. means for opening and closing said circuit situated at said stations on the tube and time escapement devices for regulating the time of the return motion of the circuit closers.

BIRNEY C. BATCHELLER.

Witnesses: A

CnAs. F. Mamas, D. STEWART. 

